I don't know if that is a clue to the year. I believe that it may be a later date than the mid- 60's I've only seen two others without the horns. One was owned by George King, and sold to a gentle man in Australia, and the other, a real beauty, is owned by Steve Takacs. The one on ebay sure looks pretty, though.

The other issue is that the right pair of knee levers are just too far left. I need the levers to go another 3 inches to the right but that puts RKR under the changer. How is this handled? Do I put a second shaft across there and run a rod back to the left and do a sort of double turnbuckle thingamabob? If I've already moved the RKL lever to the right, but they really both need to shift about 3" to the right. The drilling and stuff is easy, it's the mechanical linkage that I'm wondering about. The RKL can still be normal, just with shorter rods. But the RKR must need some kind of linkage to pull it off. Anyone???

having said that, when I had my ZB refurbed, I had Greg move my RKR a small amount to the right, but not so far as to require special linkages...and I think my RKL stayed where it was, so I still sit farther to the left at the ZB than at my Zum, and I adjust accordingly (I move my volume pedal left about 1.5 inches closer to my pedals). But I am a tall & wide guy so the reach twixt RKL and RKR ain't a problem for me

I think it's probably better to accept the instrument for what it is than to tinker with it much.

Greg, Let me know when you can fit me in?

Larry, you still out there? Did you get the pictures I sent?

Just another ZB rant.

For any of you travelling through San Francisco, I'd be happy to show you "the collection" - two D-10s, an S-10 and an S-11. I'm in contact with a few players in the area who own ZBs (mostly D-10s) and there definitely seems to be a renewed interest in single neck S-10s, S-11s and S-12s. (Like you, Dave!)

I think 4 ZBs is enough for me... for now... (:

If anyone out there is interested in selling a single neck, please post here.

All ZBest as Always!
Larry

------------------
Larry Chung
'67 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser. #1077)
'69 ZB S-10 3+4 (ser. #0124)
'70 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser.# 0215)
'71 ZB Custom S-11 4+4 (ser. #0252)

What do you the rest of you guys think?

Hope to see you in San Jose.

------------------
Dave Zirbel-
ZB Custom D-10 8 x 5, S-12U Kline 7 x6, Dobro Cyclops reissue, 1967 Fender Telecaster, Webb 6-14E, Fender Super Reverb, PV NV112
The Mother Truckers
The Cowlicks

By the way, I like your playing, even if it is lately on a Kline. Great sounding band too, please give them my best.
Duncan

[This message was edited by Duncan Hodge on 16 March 2005 at 06:48 PM.]

With all these ZBs changing hands, I'm expecting lots of serial numbers and info. Yah!

In the meantime, I just got this email from Ted Solesky and wanted to share this story with you all about Zane and Buddy:

" I've met and heard a lot of fine musicians thru out the yrs. I became good friends of Zane Beck. Zane built the ZB guitars and they were built like a battleship and just as heavy. Zane was well respected by all - he was a super picker. He played more on the Curly Chalker style. He knew his music frontwards and backwards. He was one of the first steel builders to make a knee lever. He said that when 'Slowly' came out in the early 50's, it had the first pedal steel sound on that recording. His boss didn't like pedals and told him to detach the pedal he had on his guitar if he wanted to keep his pickin job. So, Zane put on knee pedals so his boss wouldn't see 'pedals'. I think it was in the late 50's, Zane move to Nashville to work for Shot Jackson (Sho-Bud). A lot of the big stars knew Zane - he was a very humble and super nice guy. I think it was Webb Pierce or Faron Young, he said, that took him into Tootsies ( a hang-out place in Nashville) to meet some players. He said Emmons was on the little dumpy stage blowing a hot instrumental like 'Back Home in Indiana', and Webb took Zane by the arm and walked up to the stage and laid his hands on the strings to stop Emmons and said, 'hey, I want you to meet this fine musician'. Zane said that he was really embarrassed - you don't interrupt a picker when he's blowing. He said Emmons got up and said, 'here, it's all yours', and walked away. Zane said Emmons never did talk to him after that. Then one nite while Zane was in Shot's shop (garage) experimenting with the stereo pickups - the neck had a pick up for the top 5 strings and another pickup for the bottom 5 strings - 2 pickups, Zane said he felt eyes and breathing on him from the back. He turned around and there was Emmons with a big Emmons grin and he asked, 'can I try that?'. Zane told him 'sure, here, it's all yours.'. Zane had 2 amps that worked each pick up separately for the stereo effect. He said Emmons was moving the amps in all different directions and was having a ball. They became good friends after that."

Now, THAT'S a good story. Word...

ZBest,
Larry

------------------
Larry Chung
'67 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser. #1077)
'69 ZB S-10 3+4 (ser. #0124)
'70 ZB D-10 8+4 (ser.# 0215)
'71 ZB Custom S-11 4+4 (ser. #0252)

The answer is simple...because my wife said I could! This will be my 50th birthday gift a few weeks early. See, turning 50 isn't so bad.

I wish it were mine... kidding.

That's me in San Jose checking out a ZB (D-11-10) that went to Australia. I'm going to forget the gentleman's name... He bought it here and asked me to check it out before it was shipped. Splendid wood and very clean. This guitar, like all ZBs, looked and sounded great!

ZBest,
Larry

G'Day, Pat - Great to hear from you and sorry I couldn't remember your name. And, by the way, lovely fiddle playing! All ZBest and Cheers!

[This message was edited by Larry Chung on 28 March 2005 at 05:38 AM.]

May Z force B with you

I was just ZB'ing around the Internet and came upon the photo. It interested me as I should receive my ZB D11/10 tomorrow and the serial number is #0822.

Larry, you looked so at ease sitting behind that steel I thought you might be adding one more and opening a store!

It has a great sound! But the steel needs setup. I may send this to Greg first. It has a "day" setup and I played that in the 70's. I may go back to it as I haven't played in a number of years. It's 2-1/2" shorter than the 1970 D-10. It also came with a Sho-Bud volume pedal so the D11/10 was a great buy! Have you given up on the S-11?

I may look pretty behind Pat's guitar, but there's no way I could play in hiking boots. Wrong kinda boots. (:

Pat's ZB is Fire Engine Red, which is very, very beautiful. The only one I've seen where the red was that alive. Greg's got one, too, just haven't seen it in person. You can't really see the grain and swirl and figure in the wood from the photo. It's there, all right! Also, I like the inlay/trim on the side of the neck. Not all ZBs had this; it was offered as an option.

It's interesting to note that on later ZBs, the horns on the keyheads and changer mounts disappeared, which (I think) means that the guitars got a bit shorter.

Kevin's guitar (thanks, Ricky, for posting) is VERY interesting in that the keyheads/horns are at least an inch shy of the end of the guitar body. I've never seen this on any ZBs. On mine, the horns come right up to the endplate. I'm wondering, Kevin, if that means your guitar is longer than most? Or is the neck scale shorter on yours? Can you let us know the total length your ZB? I know, I know, size doesn't matter... (:

Ron, thanks for the info. Russ, face it, you're hooked. Like the rest of us.

All ZBest!
LC

[This message was edited by Larry Chung on 02 April 2005 at 09:03 AM.]